In utilizing high speed cutting, drilling, grinding, or similar machines, such as stump cutting machines, it is very important that the operator be provided with a suitable operator's station from which to control the operations of the machine. The operator must have responsive controls, must have a good vantage point from which to view the machine operations, and must be provided with protection from various dangers including the danger of flying debris resulting from machine operations. Prior stump cutting machines, and other flying debris causing machines have been provided with protective operator stations connected to the machine utilizing a swinging boom and a wired, hydraulic, or other similar connection to the machine being controlled. Such an arrangement allows an operator only a limited ability to vary the position of the machine controls to more clearly and safely view the machine operations.
However, these prior operator stations are connected to the machine being controlled and therefore, the movement of the operators station is limited. Also, due to the swinging nature of the boom, these prior systems often may not allow the machine operator to position the operator's station exactly where desired, especially in areas of heavy brush, trees, or when the stump cutter is located adjacent to a structure such as a house, barn, or a fence. In certain stump cutting situations, the stump to be removed may be adjacent to a house or similar structure, offering an obstructed view from many conventional operator angles and requiring the machine operator to be careful so as not to damage the nearby structure. In this situation, the operator must be able to choose a vantage point for operating the machine which allows him or her to see all movements of the machine, and often must be close to the cutting element or other active machine components.
Another prior system utilizes a hand-held portable control panel connected to the machine being controlled using wires. While this type of control panel does allow the machine operator to move around, the operator may not be able to get as close to the cutting operations as may be required because the operator has no protection from flying debris created by the machine operations. An operator using such a hand-held operator's station without a shield is not able to safely approach the work, and must concentrate on avoiding flying debris, rather than on the task at hand. Also, an operator concerned with avoiding flying debris may forget to ensure that the control wires do not become entangled in the moving components of the machine. Such an accident could result in equipment damage and more significantly, operator injury.